Water Injection

INJECTION MOLDING ■
Molded Parts with a Hollow Core.
Water injection technology in injection
molding allows the manufacture of
molded parts with hollow cross-sections
and is used in particular when
such parts cannot be produced by
blow molding or conventional injection molding techniques, i.e.
using cores or slides. For the first time
a new process integrates the water injection entirely within the injection
molding machine via an additional in-
The piston injection unit with a pressure intensifier is mechanically
integrated into and controlled by the injection molding machine
jection unit.
Water Injection via
an Additional Injection Unit
FLORIAN LINSE
JOSEF GIESSAUF
GEORG STEINBICHLER
ater Injection Technology (WIT)
is a special injection molding
process that the Institute of Polymer Processing (Institut für Kunststoffverarbeitung – IKV) at RWTH Aachen
University has been developing since 1998
[1]. After the injection of polymer melt
into the cavity water is injected via an injector that displaces the fluid melt core
from the center of the component. In this
way a cavity is created inside the molded
part. Towards the end of the cycle the water is removed from the cavity.
The process is identical in many respects to the long established gas injection technology (GIT) where nitrogen is
used as the cavity creating medium. GIT
and WIT are brought together under the
umbrella term of fluid injection technology. Furthermore the process shows similarities to co-injection, also referred to as
W
Translated from Kunststoffe 11/2007, pp. 68–70
Kunststoffe international 11/2007
sandwich injection molding, where two equipped with tubes for the oil dipstick
components are injected one after the made using this technology [2].
Polypropylene (PP) and glass fiber-reother into a cavity.
PE104105
Using fluid injection technology inforced polyamide (PA 6 und PA 66)
molded parts such as handles or media are most commonly used for water injecducting, even with complex geometries, tion. The latter displays higher strength
can be produced in a single stage process. and heat distortion resistance whilst PP
In comparison to gas as the fluid, water allows a better internal surface to be prohas the advantage that it provides addi- duced.A combination of co-injection and
tional cooling for the interior of the part. WIT is particularly suitable for the man- V
Cycle times can thus be significantly reduced in comparison to GIT. For this reason WIT in particular is the preferred
choice for parts with large cross-sections, for example handles. Additional advantages can be seen
in a smoother internal
surface and a more
uniform
wall
thickness distribution. This
means
that
WIT is ideally
suited for the
manufacture of media
ducting and piping. Many au- Fig. 1. The multi layer medium conduit is manufactured using
tomobiles
are
already a combination of a co-injection and water injection process
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■ INJECTION MOLDING
ufacture of under the hood media ducting in automobiles as this allows the advantages of these materials to be combined with each other (Fig. 1).
Three Process Variants and
the Corresponding Machine
Technology
As with gas injection there are three possible process variants.
Overflow Process: The cavity is completely filled with polymer. Through the
opening of a shut-off valve the melt can
flow into a secondary chamber as it is displaced from the core of the molded part
by the inflowing water. This variant generally delivers the best surface finish.
Short Shot Process: The cavity is only
partially filled with polymer, complete
filling of the mold occurs at the same time
as the formation of the hollow core by the
water. However, halting the melt front
during the transition from injection of
the polymer to injection of the water
means that it is possible that changeover
marks will be visible. The advantage of
this variant is however that no material is
lost in the secondary chamber.
Melt Pushback Process: As with the
overflow process the cavity is initially
fully filled, the melt is however then
pushed back into the space in front of
the screw by the water and used during
the next cycle. Only material with sufficient thermal stability should be used for
this process.
Fig. 3. In terms of control systems water injection is analogous to melt injection
Fig. 4. In the second, pressure controlled phase
in order to compensate for the shrinkage of the
polymer a holding pressure is maintained in the
water (pictures: Schneegans, Engel)
property allows an exact control of the
volumetric flow rate via a pump with rotational speed control or a pressurized
water generator with a control valve or a
piston injection system [3]. A piston injection system with integrated travel
measurement allows precise control
across a wide range of volumetric flow
rates. The manufacture of the part shown
in Figure 1 with a weight of approx. 100 g
requires 60 cm3 of water. For an injection
time of 5 seconds this equates to a flow
volume of 0.7 l/min. Particularly in the
located in a part of the machine frame underneath the clamping unit. The arrangement does not require any additional
space next to the injection molding machine and the distance between the injection piston and the mold is so short that
pressure losses are reduced to a minimum.
The piston injection system functions
as a pressure intensifier from oil to water.
The oil side is connected to the machine’s
hydraulic system and the water side is
connected via the injector to the mold. A
piston rod between the two sides of the
pressure intensifier ensures that the media are completely isolated and prevents
water getting into the hydraulic system
and vice versa.
The maximum water pressure is determined by the area ratio of the pressure
intensifier. For example if the area of the
oil side piston is twice that of the water
side one then the pressure available for
the water injection is double that of the
hydraulic pressure of the injection molding machine. However, this means that
twice as much oil has to be pumped into
the pressure intensifier as the amount of
water used on the other side for forming
the hollow core (Fig. 2).
In order to ensure a long service life
for the equipment it is necessary to pay
particular attention to the quality of the
water. The following values are recommended for the minimization of corrosion and lime scale build up:
■ pH-value between 7 and 8.5,
■ Water hardness from 6 to 15° dH, and
■ Chloride concentration < 100 mg/l.
Fig. 2. Schematic representation of the pressure intensifier.
In this configuration pressures
up to 300 bar are possible, the
maximum volume is 1 l
In order to increase the cooling effect
still further the so-called flushing process
can be used for all three variations. This
involves the part being flushed with water via a second injector which removes
large quantities of heat. The prerequisite
for the use of this process variant is a reliable machine technology that allows a
precisely controllable and reproducible
process.
Gas injection is generally run with
pressure control. However water, unlike
the nitrogen used as inert gas in GIT, is a
practically incompressible medium. This
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case of these small volumes/volumetric
flow rates the piston method has the inherent advantage that it can be precisely
measured.
An Injection Molder with
Integrated Piston Injection
System
Engel Austria GmbH has now produced
the first water injection system with a piston injection unit (type: Watermelt)
integrated directly into the injection
molding machine (title picture). This is
© Carl Hanser Verlag, Munich
Kunststoffe international 11/2007
INJECTION MOLDING ■
Water Injection Process
Sequence
Independent of the previously described
process variants the process sequence for
water injection with a piston injection
system can be outlined as follows. To start
with, the water side of the pressure intensifier is completely filled with the help
of a small pump. At the beginning of the
cycle with the injector closed a preloading pressure is built up in the water feed
pipes. In this way a defined pressure is
immediately available at the beginning of
the water injection and at the same time
melt is prevented from flowing out of the
cavity into the injector. After injection of
the melt into the cavity the injector is
opened with a time delay. In this time
i
Manufacturer
Engel Austria GmbH
Ludwig-Engel-Straße 1
A-4311 Schwertberg
Austria
Tel. +43/50/6 20-0
Fax +43/50/6 20-3009
www.engel.at
frame the polymer melt progressively solidifies on the cavity wall, which means
that this parameter is one of the deciding factors for the wall thickness of the
finished part.
In terms of control systems water injection is analogous to melt injection:
The first phase, which is responsible for
the creation of the hollow core, comprises a velocity controlled advance of
the water injection piston (Fig. 3). In the
second, pressure controlled, phase a
holding pressure is maintained in the
water in order to compensate for the
shrinkage of the polymer (Fig. 4). A
fixed position in the travel of the piston
can be used as a changeover criterion between the two phases by which the volume used for the creation of the hollow
core can be exactly defined. Alternatively, a pressure or time based changeover
can be chosen.
At the end of the holding pressure
phase the water pressure is released. It has
been found that a gentle release of the
pressure is advantageous because this
Kunststoffe international 11/2007
avoids cavitation effects. This pressure release is therefore carried out in accordance with a set of parameters. The remaining water can be let out of the component by opening a valve. Finally all of
the piping between WIT unit and the injector is flushed with cold water. This step
ensures that in the next cycle neither air
nor leftover hot water can get into the
part.
Reproducible Process with
Monitoring Function
The water injection sequence with a piston injection system is thus indeed in
many respects the same as the injection
process of the injection molding machine.
It therefore makes sense to integrate the
Watermelt control into the main machine
control system. The main control elements do not need to be developed from
scratch, but rather can be taken from the
polymer injection system. Machine operators benefit from the user friendliness
and the fact that they can use the existing
control infrastructure:
■ The user interface for the polymer and
water injection are uniform.
■ WIT specific parameters are stored in
part data sets in the injection molding
machine.
■ Set point curve shapes such as water
pressure and quantity can be shown
graphically together with the set points
for the melt injection process which
makes the optimization process simpler.
■ WIT parameters affecting quality are
stored in the process data protocol of
the machine or displayed in the process
data charts.
High resolution travel measurements in
the pressure intensifier and pressure
measurements on the water side of the
piston allow for a precise control of the
water injection. The amount of water
injected can be determined from the difference between the position of the piston at the beginning and end of the water injection and this can be used to
monitor and document the process. Parameters familiar to injection molders
such as injection time, changeover position, changeover pressure and material
cushion are also available for the assessment of the reproducibility of water injection.
Summary
In process technology terms water injection with the process steps injection,
changeover, holding pressure is very similar to the injection of polymer melt. Piston injection via a pressure intensifier resembles the principle of the injection unit
of an injection molding machine very
closely and can be very precisely controlled. Through complete integration into the injection molding machine both
mechanically and within the control system water injection can for the first time
be performed with an „additional injection unit“. Alongside a small foot print
and reduced pressure losses in the piping
this system guarantees a simpler operational control and reproducible high
quality of the molded parts. ■
REFERENCES
1 Michaeli, W.; Brunswick, A.; Gruber, M.: Step on
the Gas with Water Injection – Water-assisted Injection Moulding: An Alternative to Gas Injection?
Kunststoffe plast europe 89 (1999) 4, pp. 20–21
2 Steinbichler, G.; Egger, P.; Schmuck, K.: Water-assist Process Suitable for Mass Production: Outgrowing Experimental Status. Kunststoffe international 94 (2004) 9, document number PE102981
3 Steinbichler, G.: European Patent EP 1 197 312 B1
– Wasserinjektionsverfahren zum Spritzgiessen
polymerer Formteile (2000)
THE AUTHORS
DIPL.-ING. FLORIAN LINSE, born in 1979, is a project leader in the process technology development department at Engel Austria GmbH in Schwertberg,
Austria; florian.linse@engel.at
DIPL.-ING. JOSEF GIESSAUF, born in 1968, is head
of the process technology development department at
Engel Austria GmbH in Schwertberg, Austria;
josef.giessauf@engel.at
DIPL.-ING. GEORG STEINBICHLER, born in 1955, is
head of research and development at Engel Holding
GmbH, Schwertberg, Austria;
georg.steinbichler@engel.at
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